Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

[by video link] I want to start by acknowledging everyone who's contributed to this debate yesterday and today, but, more so, I want to acknowledge the many soldiers and their families who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service of this nation in Afghanistan, who, no doubt, have been doing it extremely tough today and through these past few weeks. I reach out to and acknowledge all the veterans and communities around the country, the many that have been wounded, injured or become ill from their service, and those many who have succumbed to their war within after their service in Afghanistan. And I acknowledge their families, who, rightly so, will be doing it tough.

Afghanistan has been a complex place for such a long time. I, myself, served there in 2009. I was injured there by an improvised explosive device that detonated. I was 21. It blew my eardrum. I still can't hear out of my ear. It was a traumatic injury, and I was then diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. It was a really rough time. That's my story, but there are thousands and thousands more like it. What we're seeing now in Afghanistan is heart-breaking. It does feel like a kick in the guts to see places where we have fought, where we've spilt blood, where we've had soldiers wounded, killed and taken by the Taliban. To then see the Taliban sitting in the presidential palace brings up a lot of mixed feelings. I want to say to the veteran community, the people that have been there and their families: reach out to each other and talk to your mates.

Your service is honourable. What we did there was fantastic and it helped a nation. We built schools for girls and wells for communities. We fought the Taliban. We fought bad people in a nation so we didn't have to fight them here. We kept these people on the run and hiding in the mountains. We saved locals and children from standing on IEDs and becoming injured or dying. It's a very tough space that we find ourselves in right now. But I want to echo what the member for Braddon said. We have troops on the ground in Afghanistan. We have Australian soldiers in Kabul, who are doing this nation's work and who are trying to help as many people as they can, and they're doing such a great job. We don't want to be putting them in danger. We don't want to be exposing them to any more undue risk, and I think that the communication, whether it's in this place or throughout the media, needs to remember that. Because whilst we take our political pot shots at each other we have the potential to put our people in more risk, and we should not be doing that. We have many soldiers from 1st Battalion, based here in Townsville, on the ground right now. These are friends of mine, people who come to my house for a barbecue, people who I call mates, people who I've served with and, now, people who I represent in federal parliament. Their communication back to me from on the ground is that they don't like seeing the headlines saying that Australian soldiers should be doing more. They're doing everything they can to help the people of Afghanistan and to help people get out of harm's way.

There are many veterans who have asked or may be asking themselves: was it worth it? We've seen this on TV or in the papers: journalists wanting to ask people, 'Do you think it was worth it?' The answer is yes. I'll read something that Curtis McGrath said in the newspaper. He was asked if it was worth it. Curtis McGrath lost both of his legs in Afghanistan, and he is now a gold medallist Paralympian. He said:

I thought of the man that exposed himself to the Taliban to tell us where the insurgents had buried IEDs. With insurgents watching on, he walked from his village and to our checkpoint to help us. It was his courage that allowed us to remove a series of IEDs. And I am sure by doing that we saved lives. So I am not ashamed. I know what we achieved personally. I saw the terrors of insurgency on the ground. Witnessed first-hand the cruelty of the Taliban. We went there and tried to make it a better place. We had to.

As for the IED that took Curtis's legs, he said:

It could have been a school bus that drove over it if I hadn't stepped on it.

So I wouldn't change a thing. And that is why I can justify my sacrifice. Regardless of what happens now, I know I made a difference.

Still my thoughts are with both the people of Afghanistan and the veterans who may be struggling to deal with what has happened.

That is from Curtis McGrath, a great Australian, who lost both of his legs. He states that his contribution to Afghanistan was important and he wouldn't change a thing.

I can't imagine what he must go through every day, putting on his prosthetic legs to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or to walk down the road. To do all the things that he used to do before must now be so much more challenging. The many soldiers, veterans, who have been wounded from an IED or in Afghanistan have to change their lives and their family element. There are many people who have had severe mental health issues post their service. These are all challenges that our people face on a day-to-day basis. But their service in Afghanistan was remarkable. We went to a place and we did great work. We helped so many people. Just like Curtis said: 'We went there to do the right thing.' And the people there now are there to do the right thing.

I know we that will do everything we can to bring more people back to Australia. Those Afghans who helped us through times of great despair, who fought alongside us and who interpreted for us, now fight against terror. I truly believe that we as a parliament should work together to ensure that we are helping not just the Afghans and their families coming to Australia but also the many veterans who are sitting back watching us squabble. We shouldn't be doing that. There is a time when we will be reporting on and debating what's happening or what's happened in Afghanistan, but it's not the time now. We have troops on the ground. Don't put them at risk. Let's look after them. Look after your mates and, if you're doing it tough, reach out to each other. Thanks so much. God bless.

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